Also, suddenly, the Canucks have their first six-game winning streak of the season and have apparently turned the page on Team Blase, who they morphed into for much of March. Right about now is not a bad time to be flipping the switch.

Consider, too, they are doing it without Kevin Bieksa and Daniel Sedin, who both missed weekend games against Dallas and Calgary with injuries.

It wasn't all bouquets for the Canucks Saturday. They sat on a one-goal lead, eventually blowing it. Both Mason Raymond and David Booth were benched in the third. And Roberto Luongo struggled some - okay, lots -

But it wasn't a one-off. For the encore, Lapierre's second ever game on the first line, he did it again. He opened the scoring against the Flames by charging the net and getting a piece of Henrik's pretty saucer pass.

"Right now, I'm having a fun time," Lapierre said. "To be honest, I just went to the net and got an unreal pass from Henrik. I just had to put my stick on the ice. That's all I had to do."

Lapierre had a more traditional role on the second goal. The Canucks were fading, down 2-1 11:45 into the third, looking like all the goal-scoring fairy dust they used in an explosive 5-2 win against Dallas had long since dissipated.

But with the first line pressing, Alex Burrows got a cross-crease pass to Marc-Andre Gragnani. As he wound up for his slap shot, Lapierre slyly cut in front of Flames goalie Henrik Karlsson and clipped his skate.

Gragnani scored, the game was tied 2-2 and Karlsson was pointing at Lapierre, hoping an official was going to call him for interference. No dice.

Lapierre said he understands he's just keeping a spot on the first line warm until Daniel Sedin comes back. He suggested he's ready to go back to his gritty fourth-line spot. But Henrik has been full of praise for him.

"I've always been, since he got here, really surprised with his skills," Henrik said. "And the the way he sees the ice and the way he thinks, he's one of those guys where in our lineup he's put in a position, but he should have a bigger role maybe if he was with a different team.

"On our team, he's a fourth liner, but he plays like a third or second liner on most nights."

Henrik easily could have had a third assists when he hit Dan Hamhuis in stride on the goal mouth in overtime. Hamhuis chipped the puck at the net but Karlsson made the save. He couldn't make another just 30 seconds later when Sami Salo lofted a puck at the net. It hit Ebbett in front and re-directed into the net, giving the Canucks their 3-2 overtime win.

The Canucks had reason to be motivated Saturday. They started the game just a point behind the St. Louis Blues for first overall in the Western Conference. The Blues loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets combined with

the Canucks win, puts Vancouver up by a point.

"These are big games for us, we want to win it all," Henrik said.

The Canucks scored first before shrinking back into a defensive shell.

After taking the 1-0 lead on the Lapierre goal, the Canucks were outhot 9-1. Instead of going at Karlsson, the Flames rarely used backup goalie, who hadn't won in 14 months, the Canucks sat back and looked content

trying to protect their one-goal lead.

Vancouver finally got interested again late in the first but missed a series of great chances. Chris Higgins was freed up on a breakaway but couldn't get it by Karlsson.

In the early part of the second, Jannik Hansen got his best chance of the night. On a breakaway of his own, however, he lost the puck and the Flames turned it around, into an odd-man rush.

Jarome Iginla set up Olli Jokinen, whose soft one timer got by Roberto Luongo. It was Luongo who had pulled himself out of Friday's game with a stiff neck. But just 24 hours later he announced himself ready to play

again.

"I felt good, contrary to (Friday)," Luongo said. "Obviously, you don't want to take any chances with something like that.

"But I felt really good this morning and I don't see why it would be a problem."

Luongo got beat just 51 seconds in the third period by a Mike Cammelleri slapper.

- Max Lapierre on his teammates calling him Guy Lafleur and chanting the Hall of Famer's name when he walks into the locker room.

Best answer

Henrik Sedin on how the team has responded without Daniel: "As a team, we felt we had to do less (without him). That's how I feel. I don't have to score every shift I'm out there. I can play defensively very solid.

Those chances are coming from playing well in our end and getting a 3-on-2, which you rarely saw us have in the past couple of weeks."

Best quip

"The rain in Vancouver couldn't stop the 2nd line drought."

- via twitter's richard_sze

Best response

"Higgins would."

Best question

Why isn't Chris Higgins on the second line?

Not sure. He's proving to be one of the Canucks most dangerous wingers.

Playing him with Samme Pahlsson may not be the best way to take advantage of his talents. Both Mason Raymond and David Booth were benched Saturday.

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